1. Field of the Invention
In general, the present invention relates to braided sleeves and the manufacturing methods used to produce braided sleeves. More particularly, the present invention relates to termination configurations for the free ends of braided sleeves.
2. Prior Art Description
Braided sleeves are used throughout industry to protect the exterior of many types of flexible cables and tubes. Braided sleeves are essentially tubes of interwoven plastic or fiberglass strands. Accordingly, braided sleeves are highly flexible and can be readily placed around wiring cables, plastic tubing and other such elements.
Braided sleeves are used for many reasons. Most often, braided sleeves are used to protect soft wiring cables or tubing from contact wear. Braided sleeves also act as a physical barrier from dirt and other contaminants. Braided sleeves are also often used to provide heat insulation and/or to provide a more aesthetic facade to the exterior of an otherwise unattractive cable or tube.
Regardless of the purpose of the braided sleeve, the braided sleeve itself is manufactured by interweaving strands of various materials. The materials selected depend upon the intended use of the braided sleeve. Braided sleeves used for wear protection are made from highly durable polymers. Braided sleeves used for thermal protection are made from fibers that have high insulation values. Braided sleeves used for aesthetics can be made of plated wire or colorful plastic.
Braided sleeves are commercially manufactured in long lengths and rolled onto large spools. The braided sleeves are then selectively cut to length by an end user or by special order for an end user. Since braided sleeves are woven structures, they have a tendency to unravel at their edges. Accordingly, when a braided sleeve is cut to length, the cut end will begin to unravel over time. In many situations, the tendency for the braided sleeves to unravel and fray at its ends is ignored. However, many end users do not want the ends of a braided sleeve to fray at all. Accordingly, secondary manufacturing procedures are used to terminate the ends of a braided sleeve after the braided sleeve is cut to length.
Often the cut ends of a braided sleeve are subjected to high heat so that the newly cut strands melt and bond together. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,992, entitled Braided Product And Method Of Making Same, the braided sleeve is dipped in a flexible, curable polymer. As the polymer cures, it binds the strands of the braided sleeve. Consequently, when the braided sleeve is cut, the cut end does not unravel. Although such prior art termination techniques do prevent ends from fraying, such techniques often have unintended adverse effects. Braided sleeves, by the nature of their construction, increase in diameter as the braided sleeve is linearly compressed. This physical attribute is very useful when a braided sleeve is placed around a wire cable or tube. In applying a braided sleeve around a secondary object, the braided sleeve is cut to length and then compressed. The compressed braided sleeve becomes shorter and wider. It is therefore easier to pass the compressed braided sleeve around another object. Once in place, the braided sleeve is pulled to its normal length, wherein it returns to its normal diameter.
When a braided sleeve has its ends heat bonded or dipped, the bonding material prevents the braided sleeve from expanding when compressed. The braided sleeve therefore becomes more difficult to install. Furthermore, the dipping or coating of the braided sleeve covers the exterior of the braided sleeve. If the braided sleeve is made from visually pleasing materials, the dipped coating can detract from the aesthetics of the braided sleeve.
Another disadvantage of prior art braided sleeves is that the ends of the braided sleeve are often exposed. The exposed ends of a braided sleeve can be contacted by other surrounding objects. As the ends of a braided sleeve are contacted, they unravel all the faster.
A need therefore exists for an improved manner of terminating braided sleeves that prevents the ends of the braided sleeve from unraveling and also protects the ends of the braided sleeve from inadvertent contact. This need is met by the present invention as described and claimed below.